Ouray Live Cam

Situated in a river valley at 7,800 ft. and offers residents and visitors alike some of the most beautiful and breathtaking scenery in the state. Ouray has a year-round population of about 840 and that number swells during the summer tourist season. The stages carried the passengers to Ouray, Colorado over the toll road Otto Mears built. The toll road followed the route that is today called "the Million Dollar Highway." In Ouray, travelers rejoined the Denver and Rio Grande to finish their trip. The remainder of the journey went via the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad through Montrose, the Black Canyon, Gunnison, and Marshall Pass.

Outdoor Tips & Techniques

It's always good to get some friendly advice from the professional when visiting the high country. Ranger Todd has compiled a helpful list of Tips and Techniques to make your stay more enjoyable. Browse through these tips to find out more about everything from Children and Camping to Dogs, Trails & Responsibility.

When Spring has sprung, it is time for us who use the backcountry to keep an eye out for ticks. The infestation season for ticks in Colorado generally begins in the spring and runs through early summer. In Colorado, the Rocky Mountain Wood Tick is the most prevalent species. A bite from an Wood Tick can infect an unsuspected host with a range of diseases including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tularemia, Colorado Tick Fever, or Tick Paralysis.

The infestation levels changes year to year, area by area. Regardless of how high or low the infestation rate is, there are many precautions people can take to prevent becoming unsuspecting host to a tick.

1) Begin by checking with Rangers or other land management officials for the current levels of tick infestation.

2) Wear long sleeved shirts and long pants, and be sure to tuck the cuffs of the pants into your socks. Light colored clothing is best because it makes it easier to spot the buggers. Hey this may not be fashionable, but it works!

3) Use insect repellents containing DEET on you clothing and on your exposed skin. However, don't overdo it because DEET has been linked to Gulf War Syndrome. For children, use a solution with less than 10% DEET.

4) Check yourself for ticks at least once a day. The buddy system works the best because your buddy can see areas you can't. Check children two to three times a day. Check under waist bands, sock tops, underarms, and any other moist areas.

If you find a tick, gently nudge it to see if it's attached. If not, just brush it off. If it is, your best bet is to have a professional remove it as soon as possible. However, if your not close to a medical office, you can remove it yourself.

Start by grasping the tick with tweezers as close to the skin as possible. Once you get a hold of it, firmly but gently pull the tick off. Try to get the tick off in one piece and do not crush it. Crushing the tick can introduce even more bacteria into the bite site. After the tick is removed, double check to make sure there are no pieces left behind. If there are, remove them immediately. Once this is done, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water, iodine, or alcohol.

If you think the tick has been attached more than a few hours, you might want to preserve the tick for disease testing. Do so by putting it in a container with a piece of wet paper, or if it's dead, rubbing alcohol.

Remember that just because you have been bit by a tick doesn't mean you've been infected. Many ticks do not carry disease!

If you have been infected with something, the symptoms can include severe headaches, muscle aches, chills, fever, nausea, a rash that starts on the feet hands, wrists, then spreads, enlarged lymph glands, and an ulcer at the bite site. If you show any of these symptoms after a tick bite, seek immediate medical assistance.